Ten mistakes wannabe musicians make

Modern day music has embraced the business dimension quite much. This has led to an increase in the number of upcoming musicians all over the world. However, like any other business, there are rules of the game and some have gone ahead to flop so hard. We take a look at the top ten mistakes that upcoming musicians make while trying to get their music careers to take off.

Ignoring the Brand Aspect

This is known as the image of the artist. It is the unique brand that you as an artist represent. Creating a brand makes sure that you stand out and that your music stands the test of time. Think of Beethoven for example, he has always been seen as a moody composer and so was his music. Even though the music industry moved on, his brand remained.

Ignoring Fan Interaction

As your music career grows, your fan base continues to expand. However, most upcoming musicians forget that you need to create a personalized interaction platform for your fans. This could include sending photos of the behind the scenes from your videos, studio sessions and other products not available to the general public. This makes your fan base feel closer to you as an artist.

Lack of a Website

In the modern world, any type of artist without a website is almost guaranteed to fail. People want to access your products from the comfort of their homes or their workplaces. We will not queue up to get your new album. A website also becomes very important as a means of communication with your fans. What you are planning, tours and shows can all be updated on your website. When creating a website, ensure you hire a professional website designer, as much as it can help you, a poorly done website can damage your reputation irreparably.

Poor timing

In the entertainment industry, timing is king. You need to learn the art of building anticipation within your fan base. Avoid the temptation to release a song simply because you feel it is a hot track, the timing could be very wrong. You also need to be consistent and keep delivering new content to your fans with reasonable consistency. Basically, do not get your fans bored.

Poor marketing

Well, this basically translates to the misguided notion that marketing on Facebook and twitter is enough. Successful musicians employ a multi-faceted marketing strategy that include radio marketing, online advertising, promotions, email marketing and live shows among others. Do not rely solely on the popular social media channels to market your music.

Lack of a mailing list

Again, this happens when musicians overestimate the potential of social media channels. Having thousands of followers may not do you much good in terms of sales. Make use of your fan base and let them subscribe to a mailing list, that way you can almost be guaranteed of sales each time you release a track or album.

Lack of a functional network

Like every other industry, to make it you will need to know a few people here and there. These include club owners, producers, digital marketers, event organizers and other musicians. This widens your opportunities so much and ensures that when chances arise, you do not miss them.

Lack of a plan

I know that probably sounds like cliché but you really do need a plan to make it as a musician. Basically, you will need to state clearly what you are planning to achieve, the strategies you will employ, the tactics and how you will evaluate progress and take any corrective measures.

Not defining your target market

Most upcoming musicians fail to realize that they cannot make music for everyone and neither can they make music that targets nobody in particular. You need to have a well defined target audience and focus your efforts on meeting their musical needs as well as you possibly can.

Worrying too much

Upcoming artists tend to worry too much about getting their voices heard. However, creating your brand and sufficient marketing should be higher on the priority list.